Ben

Mr. Card is an obvious graduate of the Dean Koontz School of Superfluousity. I found the incessant and schizophrenic navel contemplation by the two main characters to be unbearably grating and often hit the fast forward button. Early subplots were dropped so abruptly that it appears Mr. Card decided to change the direction of the book, but did not want to go to the effort of a re-write. The book did have some plot twists and an ending that could have been entertaining if they had not been telegraphed chapters before they were actually revealed. One line early in the book was very prophetic. It went something like “Books are either stupid or they’re not. If they’re stupid, you just find yourself getting angry.” I never got angry, but I sure did get exasperated on numerous occasions. The only reason I finished the book was out of a curiosity to see just how bad it could get.